In many countries, covering corruption, violence and conflict can lead to severe trouble and trauma for journalists. Last year for the first time more online journalists were imprisoned around the world than journalists reporting for any other medium. According to Frank Smyth of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), "45% of journalists jailed were bloggers or online editors", the category previously dominated by print reporters. Smyth expects the percentage to increase to more than half next year, he said while attending the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn.

The CPJ is a watchdog organization to promote freedom of the press and monitor rights violations of journalists. It publishes an annual census and recently issued a list of 10 worst countries to be a blogger

On Friday Smyth will talk at a workshop on suppressed websites featuring founder and editor of www.tortureinegypt.net, Noha Atef, as well as one of the most prominent Chinese bloggers, Yang Hengjun, and other international online writers. Yang is a former foreign relations official for the Chinese government, an author of political spy thrillers and now one of the country's most outspoken and critical bloggers.

His presence at the Deutsche Welle Global Medium Forum is of particular significance as it coincides with the 20^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, coverage of which is still massively censored by the Chinese government. Officials blacked out CNN reporting this morning and shutdown the Twitter platform in China yesterday as well as several online video sharing channels in the country in the run up to the anniversary.